The Dirt Whispered
by p4vlovsdaught3r
Summary: Clarke Griffin attends her first ever post-apocalyptic con and what was meant to be a fun weekend of dressing up and pretending to be someone else, quickly turns into much more than she could have ever imagined. In between fake medical surgeries and nerf gun fights, the young doctor finds herself falling for the beautiful and enigmatic leader of the infamous grounders. LARP AU


**A/N:** I don't know how many of you out there are familiar with LARP or roleplaying conventions in general, I assume not too many, so I'm gonna give you a short introduction. LARP is short for "Live Action Role Play" and is an organized event where for the course of a weekend hundreds of crazy people meet in a remote place far away from society and play act a character they invented themselves. Everybody designs their own costumes to fit the needs of their character and to fit into the lore of the con. This cinematic trailer (I fucking hate how shitty this website is with links, but just paste this into the youtube url that should work out fine: _/watch?v=0hh9nBNOIg0_ ) gives you a good visual idea of what LARP, especially post-apocalyptic LARP is.

The background for this story is based on a con I have been to myself. In a lot of ways the lore is very similar to the world of _The 100_ , but at the same time very different. Some time in the past something called the Eschaton eradicated close to all of the human population and left the survivors to deal with the radioactive fallout. People grouped together and built small settlements - one of them is the City of Light, that serves as the home and working place for most characters. It's a deserted military barrack, three stories high which holds shops, factions, restaurants, the medical facilities, strip clubs, a casino and so on... Everything out of the city limits is called the wastelands. I guess it can be described as a wacky mix of the worlds of Fallout, Mad Max and Waterworld.

If you have any questions left, don't hesitate to ask!

* * *

 **Chapter 1: The City of Light**

„What did you do now?" Clarke asks with an exasperated sigh, when she spots Raven Reyes limping through the door of the medical station for the third time in under twenty-four hours. Or was it actually the fourth time? It is kind of hard to keep up with how much happened ever since Clarke arrived in the City of Light.

The brunette just grins and shrugs.

„I live a dangerous life, doc."

Clarke shakes her head and glances back at the file in front of her. She's only just started her shift and the stack of paperwork in front of her has already doubled. It almost amuses her to think that one of the few things that has survived the eschaton and the dark age that followed thereafter, is the bureaucracy. Even in a world, where every day could be your last, where radiation poisoning will undoubtedly kill you if you are unable to earn enough money to buy your daily dose of medication, there is still this need to document everything. Here she is completing another useless form and diligently filing it exactly where it is supposed to go. A form that's only use is to collect dust in between all the other patient files that nobody will ever take a second glance at.

"Lie down over there," Clarke says, while she takes another look at the file in front of her. She puts her signature at the bottom of it and puts it to the side. She stretches her arms over her head and lets her joints crack, before walking over to Raven.

The mechanic lies on the sick bed and watches Clarke with a curious glint in her eyes.

"You look like you need a break," Raven notes dryly. Clarke gives her a dirty look, but silently agrees with the mechanic's assessment. She hasn't been able to sleep at all. Her bed at the hotel just outside of the city is nothing more than a small folding cot in the middle of a huge hangar. The so-called private rooms are nothing more than small spaces that are only separated from the rest of the hangar by sheets that hang from the ceiling.

She misses the privacy of her own room. _So goddamn much_.

The few hours Clarke spent in her cot the night before passed with her turning around and trying to drone out the voices and sounds of her surroundings.

Luckily she was used to functioning with next to not sleep. The emergency clinic she worked at expected her to work crazy shifts that didn't really allow her to maintain a personal life. This is actually the first holiday she took ever since she finished her studies and started to work at the clinic. And what does she do in her free time? She dresses up in tattered scrubs and pretends to be a doctor in a post apocalyptic world...

"Same could be said for you," Clarke says as she takes a closer look at the brunette mechanic. She looks visibly worn out, her hair is tied back in a lazy ponytail and even though she's grinning at Clarke, there's just something in her face that tells Clarke that she's had a long fucking day. And it's barely midday. "A shower might do you some good."

"Is that you medical opinion, doctor?"

"Just a friendly advice. So, what is it this time? Did you manage to forget to take the one thing that prevents your body from succumbing to radiation poisoning? Rad-X is the only thing that hinders your body from growing a third arm, horns or-"

"Or maybe another pair of tits? I hear, the Titty Twister is desperately looking for some pretty ladies with kinky ass mutations. I have only ever been there to admire the show, but-"

"Raven."

"What? Oh, right. Time is money, eh? No, I didn't forget to take my Rad-X. And I didn't get into a fight with the Cartel either, it's so not my fault that fucking Jaha thinks he is a king or some shit. That fucking asshole... Calling himself the chancellor, thinking he owns this fucking place, when it's people like us that keep the City of Light from falling to pieces."

"You know, that he kinds of does... own the city I mean. Why are you here though? What happened?"

"I was just working on repairing the Rover's vehicle, when it came crashing down on my leg. I don't think it's broken... I mean I can still move and feel it, but it hurts like a bitch."

"The car just fell down on you?"

"It's the fucking chancellor, he's trying to scare me. I'm telling you. I'm pretty certain it was him who sent one of his low life mercenaries to steal all of my chids last night as well, he doesn't like me working for the net. And now this- but I can't prove anything, and even if I could... who would believe me? I'm a nobody. Nobody would believe me over _him_."

Raven takes a deep breath as Clarke touches her left leg.

"I need you to take off your pants."

"That's awfully forward of you, doc, but fuck, it's been some time since somebody propositioned me so nicely. And seriously who in their right mind could say no to you, Clarke?"

"Cut the crap, Reyes. I didn't get much sleep, I'm exhausted and I'm this close to accidentally stabbing you with my scalpel. Just take off your pants, and lets get this over with."

"Woow, no stabbing, alright?" Raven raises her arms and sits up to do as Clarke ordered her to. "I have done that before, and trust me it sounds like it's more fun that it actually is. It might not seem like it sometimes, but I actually enjoy life."

"You do? Maybe you should try to not nearly kill yourself twice a day then." Raven lies down again without saying anything. She bites her lip though, seemingly trying very hard to keep herself from saying anything else. "Alright, I'm going to do some test. Is it only your right leg, or does your left one also hurt?"

"Nah, only the right one. Does it look bad, doc?"

Her leg looks normal. Of course it does. The injuries and bruises aren't supposed to be real after all. This is nothing more than role play, the car didn't actually fall down onto Raven, and the injuries she deals with are nothing more than fake blood and cosmetics.

"I can't really say until I have done more testing. It looks like nothing is broken though, if it was you wouldn't be sitting here making corny jokes and grating my nerves after all. I'm going to-"

A sudden bang and loud shouting from outside of the room interrupts what Clarke is about to say. She stops short and quickly turns around her eyes fixated on the door like she can figure out what is happening by staring at the close door.

"What's going on out there?" Raven voices her thoughts. "It sounds like somebody is thrashing your precious Ark."

Clarke's hand touches the door handle, before she realizes what she is doing. She stops and turns back around to give Raven a stern look.

"Stay put, Raven."

"It's not like I have much of a choice."

Clarke gives her patient another weary look. "I mean it. Don't move."

"Yeah, yeah," Raven shrugs. "I'll just lie here half naked and hope whoever that is, isn't going to kill me, when they are done with you and...'"

Clarke leaves the sound of Raven's mutterings still in her ears. When she steps outside of the safety of her medical room, she immediately notices that something is wrong. It is eerily quiet. The loud voices she's heard only seconds before have fallen silent. The door falls close behind her and she takes a cautious step forward. This is not good. _At fucking all_. There are people inside of the Ark. Armed people. People she doesn't know.

The Ark is neutral territory.

Being the only hospital in the City of Light, they agreed to treat every patient no matter their affiliation, and in turn nobody is allowed to carry their weapons inside their territory or attack the Ark. A guard collects the weapons from everybody that steps inside the Ark, only to be given back once you leave the station. A red flag with a withe cross decorates the walls of the Ark, and sometimes people joke that they are switzerland, that they are the only neutral and impartial faction left in this world. Their unique position in the ever-changing political landscape of the wastelands allows them to do their job. To stop people from dying.

If you smuggle a weapon inside the Ark or even attack somebody inside their quarters, there are going to be consequences. Everybody knows that. Everybody. So, Clarke's baffled, when she not only sees a huge and intimidating man invade their station with weapons strapped all over his body, but also a gun levelled directly at their guard's face. His face is sharp and the right side of it is covered with scars. His hair is dark and dirty and braided at the back of his head.

He looks intimidating as fuck.

He wears a leather breast plate and shoulder pads over his washed out and repeatedly patched up military jacket. There are loads of insignias and patches on his jacket, but the one that stands out the most is one that Clarke recognizes almost immediately.

Three crescent moons that face away from each other and meet in the middle.

 _Grounders_.

She's never meet them in person before. They don't live in the City of Light; no, the grounders prefer to keep to themselves. At least that's what Abby told her about them. They live in an old military barrack outside of the city limits.

The grounders are wary of everything reminiscent of the old world. They are wary of everybody that is not them and they prefer to keep to themselves. Some say they are violent by nature, that they are like wild animals, ready to strike and kill once angered; but Clarke knows that those are nothing more than rumours. Abby told her about the strict military structure and rules they abide by.

They are different from the people living in the City of Light, but they are not savages.

It would be hard not to recognize them, when they try so very hard to stand out from everybody else in the City of Light. Dark warpaint around their eyes and tribal tattoos on their faces clearly identify them as members of the infamous grounders. There is no doubt in Clarke's mind that the man in front of her, who is pressing the barrel of his shotgun into their guard's face, is a grounder.

And he is not alone.

Behind him, still outside of Ark territory which is marked by the red and white boom gate are two more of them. A woman with short dark hair and equally dark paint on her face, and another buff guy that looks almost bored as his fingers touch, almost caress the grip of his holstered gun.

The tall and muscular guy is the only one that has already passed the barrier that separates their infirmary from the rest of the huge building they call their home. The guy has his gun still leveled at their gate keeper. The guard must have registered the movement behind him, because he turns slightly.

He moves his head and for a millisecond their eyes meet. Clarke's heart falls as she realizes who exactly it is that the grounder is threatening to shoot.

"Bell," Clarke hears herself shout and Bellamy fully spins around and blinks at her. She's just about to ask him what the hell is going on, when the grounder that is closest to Bellamy suddenly lunges for her friend. She thinks she hears a crunching noise and Bellamy's eyes go wide, when he turns back towards his assailant, just to take a second hit straight to the face. His head recoils and he falls against the wall his whole body sinking down.

"Gustus, stand back right fucking now! What in Heda's name do you think you are doing?" the female grounder screeches.

Clarke winces, when a shot echoes through the corridors. She takes a step back searching for cover behind the bench where their patients normally sit down to wait for their appointments; she isn't certain who exactly it was that fired the weapon. She blinks at the grounders; they seem as surprised as she is. She gives a jerk, when she feels a hand on her shoulders.

Abby's voice is quiet, when she leans down to talk to her.

"Are you alright?" Clarke manages a nod as she looks into the worrying eyes of her... _mother_. It still feels weird to think of the other woman as her mother; Abby smiles at her and brushes her fingers softly over her cheek, before she whispers, "stay back, this might get ugly."

Clarke nods again, but isn't making any inclinations to move at all from her current place.

Out of the corner of her eyes Clarke spots Octavia, Abby's personal guard. Octavia who still has her gun in her hands. Clarke reckons she must have been the one to fire the shot. As one of Abby's personal guards Octavia rarely leaves her side. Clarke is still frozen to the spot, when the pair moves in front of her.

Octavia moves her head to the left and freezes for a moment, when she spots her brother's crunched up figure on the floor. Her grasp around the gun tightens until her knuckles turn white, while she turns back to the grounder.

Clarke suddenly fears for the grounder's life, because the Blakes don't let anybody shit talk their sibling, let alone hurt either of them. And Octavia is a force to be reckoned with. But before O can make a move, Abby puts a hand on her guard's weapon and shakes her head softly. Octavia stills, but her eyes never leave the grounder.

"The Ark is a neutral zone. You know that there are no weapons allowed inside here. Put your weapon down, soldier. Now," Abby demands without any fear in her voice.

"We're not here to start a fight, Dr. Griffin," the grounder woman says with glazed eyes. Clarke shakes her head and has to suppress a laugh; for people who are not trying to start a fight, they sure seem like they do.

"Then do as I say."

The woman nods slowly, before she puts her gun down and after a small gesture from her, both of her companions do the same. Abby nods at Octavia, who steps forward and takes the shotgun from the buff guy, who is still staring daggers at them.

"This is for my brother, you fucking asshole," Octavia hisses, before she uses his own weapon to hit him with the butt of the gun. It hits him straight in the face. The man stumbles back surprised by the sudden attack. He falls to his knees and raises a hand to his nose. When he lifts it again, both his hand and his nose are bloody.

"You stupid whore, you broke my fucking nose," he shouts and gets up to leap himself at Octavia. Octavia just laughs at him and points his own gun at his bleeding face.

"You know you should thank me, I only tried to make that ugly face of yours look even remotely agreeable. And hey, I think red's your colour, soldier boy."  
A sound that is remarkably similar to the growling of a bear leaves the grounder's mouth and he looks like he is about to hurl himself at Octavia, even though her weapon would blow a hole in his head, before he could even come close to touching her.

"Enough," Abby's commanding voice interrupts them. She takes a step forward to stand next to Octavia. They look at each other for a moment, then Octavia nods and lowers the gun. "Indra," Abby acknowledges the grounder woman, who has kept quiet throughout their brawl. "What is the meaning of this?"

"We came here to talk to you, but your little guard," she says and shoots an angry look in Bellamy's direction. Only now did Clarke remember her bleeding friend on the floor. "He seems to think he is above us."

Clarke quickly moves to his side, her arm brushing against Abby as she does so. Clarke can practically feel Abby's gaze following her every move. She kneels down next to Bellamy, while she hears Abby's voice reprimand the grounders.

"Hey, Bell," she tries to smile at him, as she puts her hand on his forehead. His face is bloody and he blinks at her a couple of times, before he grins through bloody teeth. It's not a pretty sight. And damn, it looks remarkably real. Not for the first time she's amazed at what a handful of stage blood can do. "Where does it hurt?"

" _Clarke_."

His voice is barely there and he still seems to be out of it. She helps him sit up a bit and feels his head for an injury. She's relieved, when there is none. He is struggling to keep his eyes open though. Definitely a concussion.

"Don't move, alright. Keep still." He moves his head in what she thinks is supposed to be a nod. Again he opens his mouth to speak, but a coughing fit interrupts whatever he was about to say. Clarke knows she should get him out of here, before the situation escalates, but there is really nothing she can do but wait. Bellamy hasn't regained all of his senses yet and he is far too heavy to carry him into the sick room. "Keep your eyes open, alright? You can't fall asleep, not before I make sure that you don't have a concussion. I'm going to take a look at you once this is over, alright? Just stay with me."

Bellamy just nods and leans into her. His forehead rests against her shoulder and Clarke can hear his steady breathing. Relieved that Bellamy is going to be fine, she concentrates on the argument between the grounder woman, who Abby called Indra, and Abby.

"I need to talk to you... in private... please," Indra says with a strained voice. She isn't meeting anybody's eyes as she says them and bites her lips, while she waits for an answer.

Abby laughs out loud. "That's not going to happen. With the show you and your goons just put on here, none of you will get the privilege of ever stepping a foot into the Ark again."

Indra shoots the beaten guy, who is still holding his nose to prevent the blood from spilling everywhere, an angry look. He doesn't meet her gaze though; his eyes are cast to the floor. At least he has the decency to feel a tad bit guilty it seems.

"This is all a huge misunderstanding."

"Misunderstanding? I come out here to find my guard bleeding on the floor, while your soldier is waving his gun at my dau-, at my people. Inside our perimeter nonetheless. I suggest you leave, before I call for the peacekeepers. They will have his head for that."

Indra snorts.

"What Gustus did was wrong. I'm not going to excuse his behaviour. And trust me, he will be punished for what happened today. But not by your ridiculous court system here in the City of _fucking_ Light, no he'll be judged according to our laws." Her eyes linger on him for a moment, before she looks back at Abby. Clarke gets the feeling that a quick death would be preferable to what is waiting for him back at the grounder's base. "But none of this matters now."

"It matters to me."

"We come here with a message. From Heda."

Clarke holds her breath; she heard the name before, even though she has never seen the infamous leader of the grounders. There are a lot of rumours surrounding their leader. If only half of them are true, their Heda was nobody to be trifled with.

"Go on."

"Please, doctor. Not here," the proud woman looks very close to begging. Her mouth is pulled in a straight line and her whole body is tense.

Abby takes a look around. There are a dozen people staring at them. And not only her people, no there are little secrets in the City of Light. The guards the Cartel has stationed night and day at the entrance of the building are not missing a word that is said. Clarke is sure that they can't wait to report back to their boss. She fucking hates Jaha and his need to meddle in everybody's business. Just because his grandfather's uncle was one of the first survivors to settle here and build up the city from nothing he thinks he owns everybody that lives and breathes here.

"Tell me what you want or leave," Abby insists.

"We need you to come with us."

"I'm not coming with you, not after you attacked one of mine and not after our last doctor who I trusted you to keep safe, only ever found his way back here in a coffin."

"Dr. Griffin, you know I wouldn't do this if I had another choice."

"I can't and I won't. I suggest you pick up your boy and leave. We are done here."

Abby turns around. Octavia doesn't move from her spot and wearily watches the grounders who aren't moving.

"Wait!" Indra shouts after her. She takes a step forward, her body pressing into the barricade in front of their station. Octavia has not for one second taken her eyes from the other woman and is now face to face with the grounder.

"The doctor told you to leave, grounder. You better do as she says."

The way Indra looks at Octavia can only be described as pure contempt. She raises her eyebrows at the audacity of the much younger woman and continues to shout for Abby to turn around.

"It's about... Heda," she finally admits her voice weak. Her hands ball to fists at her side, while Abby halts immediately. She slowly turns around.

"Continue."

Indra takes a deep breath and her eyes flutter close, before she says, "she needs to cash in that favour you owe her... before it's too late. Heda needs you."

Abby locks eyes with the grounder; they stare at each other for what feels like eternity, before Abby softly nods and raises her hand to point at Indra.

"Octavia, let her pass, but keep an eye on the others."

Reluctantly Octavia steps back and lifts the boom gate to let Indra pass, while she at the same time gives Gustus a shove so he stumbles out of the Ark. Indra who somehow has retained her pride through the whole ordeal walks up to Abby.

"Time is of essence, doctor. We have already wasted too much of it."

"I will not forget what happened here today, Indra, but for now I will listen to what you have to say. Clarke," she says as she meets the eyes of her daughter. Clarke is surprised at first, but nods quickly. "Take care of Mr. Blake and then I need you to report to my office."

Clarke nods numbly, before she turns back to her injured friend.

* * *

Only minutes later she knocks at the door to Abby's office. Bellamy is most likely going to be fine; she left one of the nurses with him to make sure that he doesn't fall asleep and die because of a brain aneurysm or some stupid shit like that.

"Come in," the dry voice of Abby tells her from the other side of the room. With trembling fingers Clarke opens the door, but doesn't move inside of the room. Indra is standing in front of the desk and doesn't turn around, when Clarke enters. The woman looks terrifying, even if all Clarke can see is her backside.

"I beg of you, Dr. Griffin, please-" Indra says and it doesn't sound like she is begging at all, rather demanding Abby to do what she wants her to do.

"I have made my decision, Indra. You should be grateful that I'm helping you at all. Tell the commander that we are even; there aren't going to be any more favours."

Indra nods stiffly and turns towards Clarke.

"I hope that child knows what she is doing."

"Excuse me?" Clarke exclaims indignantly, but Abby puts a hand on her shoulder and makes her turn around. She is handing something to Clarke. The young doctor needs a moment to realize that what Abby just handed her is the first aid kit that they take with them on field missions.

"You're going to accompany Indra to the grounder's base. Their Commander is hurt and she needs medical attention asap. Indra is going to make sure nothing happens to you while you're out there. Right?"

"Of course, Dr. Griffin."

"She is going to fill you in on the details on the way. Octavia is going to come with you." Abby hugs her tightly for a second, before she whispers into Clarke's ear, "she's going to take care of you, sweetheart. I love you, Clarke."

Clarke smiles at her... _mother_ for a moment and Abby returns the smile. She grabs the medical kit tighter and takes a step back. Well, she hadn't really expected the day to take a turn like this. Indra rushes out of the room and Clarke turns to follow.

"Oh, before I forget. Raven Reyes is still in Room 02, she needs someone to take a closer look at her leg and Bellamy isn't out of the woods yet."

"I'll do it myself, when I'm finished here."

Clarke nods and gives Abby one last smile, before she follows the grounder outside. Not much has changed outside, Octavia is still watching the other grounders and she looks like there's nothing she'd rather do than give the wounded grounder another taste of her fighting skills.

"Get your stupid ass off the ground, Gustus. We're leaving."

The grounder struggles to stand up, but Clarke couldn't really care less... not after he beat up Bellamy. When she passes Octavia, she softly touches her arm. O turns around, her hand still cradling her weapon.

"It looks like we're going on a trip," Clarke announces as she raises the medical kit so that Octavia can see it. "Abby wants you to come with us."

"With us? With the fucking grounders who just fucking beat up my brother?" Octavia's eyes widen slightly as she tries to grasp what's happening. "Just fucking great..." she mutters, as she turns around and disappears into one of the rooms.

"Where is she going?" Indra asks. Clarke just shrugs. She knows that the Ark's armoury is in there, so she assumes that Octavia is gearing up, but there is really no reason to tell the grounder that. "I wasn't kidding when I said that we don't have much time."

"Well, maybe you shouldn't have attacked Bellamy then."

Indra bites her lip, but doesn't say anything. Clarke pulls the medical bag over her shoulder and pulls at the straps. She stands up straight and hopes that the grounders can't sense her nervousness. She has never been outside of the City of Light before. She has heard stories of course. Stories of mutants that live in the wastelands, of some kind of human experiment gone wrong that created cannibals that inhabit the woods, of a secret society that lives underground and that-

The silent one of the trio finally speaks up, "I assume Dr. Griffin isn't going to come."

"No, she isn't, but she assured me that the kid here is as capable as she is."

"I am," Clarke notes with a dry voice. "And I'm no kid."

"Whatever," Indra shrugs. Octavia uses that moment to walk back into the room. Clarke gives her a short once over and is pretty sure that the knifes on her legs and the guns on her belt haven't been there before. "Finally. Took you long enough. We need to leave. Do you have everything you need, child?"

Clarke rolls her eyes at the older woman, but answers as politely as she can manage.

"Since nobody told me exactly what I'm dealing with, I can only assume that Abby packed everything that I'll need to help you save your-"

"Good," Indra interrupts her. "Hurry up, we have already wasted too much fucking time with this nonsense."

Octavia lifts the boom gate, and Clarke ducks down and hurries after Indra who has already started walking away from them. Octavia is very close to her, their bodies brushing against each other, while they rush through the City of Light.

* * *

 **A/N:** I had this little idea running around my head for some time now and I finally put it down on virtual paper. This is not meant to be a full blown story, if I decide to continue it will probably be between five to ten chapters long, though I haven't exactly outlined anything yet. I just wanted to publish the first chapter to know if you're into the idea and if it is worth continuing.

I know I have another story to write, but sometimes my muse tells me one thing, when my mind tells me another - nothing I can do but oblige my muse I guess, so here we are. I am currently moving to another city, and just signed the lease for my new flat, so there is a lot of stuff to plan and shit to do and I can't promise frequent updates at the moment. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed the first chapter and I'd love to hear your thoughts on the story!


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